Of Blacksmiths and Librarians
by Quaintly Modern
Summary: A series of drabbles based off of Seventh Sanctum's writing challenge generator. Mostly light-hearted humor and fluff. Gray/Mary. Complete!
1. Spring

Disclaimer: I don't own Harvest Moon, Marvelous Interactive does. I don't even localize it, although I'd probably do a better job than Natsume. Grumble grumble.

This is a series of drabbles (stories that are exactly 100 words long) featuring Grary. They're based off a Seventh Sanctum random writing challenge generator. Google it if you're interested, some of their generators are pretty hilarious.

First prompt: _The story takes place in the spring._

* * *

Mary sat behind her desk, writing furiously, too engrossed in her manuscript to hear the door opening or a pair of familiar heavy footsteps. She started when her visitor cleared his throat. Looking up quickly, the librarian met the eyes of a blushing blacksmith.

"Gray! I'm sorry, I didn't see you." The redhead nodded, lowering his eyes.

"Yeah, that's okay. Um, these are, uh, for you." He dropped a package on her desk and rushed back out, leaving a bewildered Mary in his wake. Opening the parcel, she blushed at the contents.

Cookies. She had forgotten it was Spring 14th.


	2. Sleep

Prompt: _A character will go to sleep._

* * *

Gray was_ tired_. As he sat in his corner of the library, trying to read and failing, the only thing he could think about was this oppressive exhaustion. Leaning back in his chair, he planned to rest his eyes for a few minutes. However, the best laid plans…

Gray started awake violently at the soft touch of a hand on his shoulder. "I'm sorry! You were sleeping and it's near closing..." Mary trailed off. The blacksmith's ears were bright red as he mumbled something unintelligible in response. Mary simply smiled and sat down beside him.

"Did you know you snore?"


	3. Crisis

Prompt: _During the story, there is an economic crisis._

* * *

Mary paced the floor, desperately trying to calm herself. "Oh Gray, we can't afford this!" she cried, turning to face her husband of three seasons. But before he could reply, she resumed her frantic pacing, trying to figure out how this would play into their personal finances. With her work at the library and his-

Gray took hold of her shoulders and, holding the anxious girl still, forced her to face him. "It's going to be okay." He moved his hand to her face, brushing away tears just starting to fall. "Mary, everything's okay, we're going to have a _baby_."


	4. Forest

Slight liberties have been taken with the prompt. Heh.

Prompt: _The story is set in a forest_.

* * *

The corners of Gotz's mouth lifted knowingly as he watched the blacksmith currently making his way through the forest path, toward where the older man stood on his doorstep. Pretty new fiancée, newly acquired property, no real home? Gotz knew why the kid was out here at this ungodly hour.

Gray pulled his hat low over his eyes as he approached the carpenter. "Mr. Gotz, I-"

"I'll do it." The blacksmith started at the interruption.

Gotz shrugged, "Mary deserves a nice home. Heck, she deserves even more for agreeing to marry you."

The older man chuckled as Gray solemnly agreed.


	5. Slippers

Oh internet, it is so _so _good to have you back after so many days apart. Promise you will never leave me again?

Prompt: _The story must involve some slippers in it._

* * *

Mary used to be envious of Cinderella. As a girl, she would dream of her fairy godmother, the transformation of her drab dress into a beautiful ball gown and meeting her true love, the Prince.

Mostly, though, she dreamt of glass slippers. Glass slippers so perfectly made that her Prince could not fail to find her. They were elegant and beautiful and absolutely perfect. Her mother's fridge became littered with drawings of crystal footwear.

But as Gray's old hat slid down over her eyes, she realized that perfect fit and elegance might be a tad overrated. And so might princes.


	6. Twenty Years

Prompt:_ The story takes place twenty years into the future._

* * *

Mary watched the two most important men in her life head off down the road with a little pang of nostalgia. She was suddenly all too aware of how fast time moved as her son left for his first day of apprenticeship.

It seemed liked only yesterday she had listened to Gray's tirades about Saibara and his supposed tyranny. The librarian smiled ruefully.

Now there was a new generation, another apprentice who would confide in her all his struggles and trials, complain about the injustices and arguments.

Oh, Goddess, maybe she'd get lucky and go deaf before they came home.


	7. Test

Prompt: _A character takes a test._

* * *

"That's ridiculous," Mary sighed.

"No it isn't! You two are meant to be!" Popuri clasped her hands together in delight as Ann grinned next to her.

"It's a silly quiz from a frivolous magazine," Mary insisted, despite the faint blush creeping up her cheeks.

"No," Popuri said gravely, "it's _the _number one compatibility test 'See If He's Feelin' You' from the writer of the hit book. And this is no silly magazine; _Urbane _is the number one woman's magazine worldwide."

Mary scoffed. "That still doesn't mean Gray likes me."

"Except, y'know, he asked you to the fireworks festival," Ann snickered.


	8. Missing

The author in question here is completely fictitious. My google skillz, they needs work.

Prompt: _During the story, a famous person goes missing._

* * *

The local news blared, covering up the librarian's soft sobs. For the tenth day in a row, Arnot Gallais remained missing.

Mary had been wallowing for just as long, despite misguided attempts to cheer her. Popuri's well meaning insistence that he was _only _an author resulted in Mary sobbing that he was her _favorite _author and diving for the tissues. It had gone downhill since.

A soft knock on the door caused Mary to look up. It was Gray, Ann's cookies and tissue boxes in hand. Well, it hadn't gone _completely _downhill, she qualified, as her sobs lessened into sniffles.


	9. Inebriated

I don't know how in character this is for Basil, but people do stupid things at a wedding, even normally level headed parents, who've happened to drink _way_ too much.

Prompt: _A character is inebriated throughout most of the story._

* * *

It was entirely in the realm of possibility that Basil had had too much to drink. However, it wasn't everyday his only daughter was taken from him forever and he had to make a speech. The botanist rose, clearing his throat.

"Mary, baby girl, I hope y'have happiness and love and for t'rest of your life. Gray, if y'hurt her, remember that I'm n'expert in 34 species of poisonous fl-flora." He slurred, sinking back into his chair.

Maybe threatening the groom wasn't good manners, he thought through his alcohol induced daze as Anna glared at him and Mary looked mortified.


	10. Election

Aaaand it's done! I just want to take a moment to thank people who've reviewed, especially **Moonlit Dreaming** and **The Scarlet Sky **for doing so multiple times.

Prompt: _The story is set during an election/political decision._

* * *

Gray frowned as the giant face of Mayor Thomas smiled at him from above the library's door. He strode through the doorway, over to his wife's desk. Mary giggled at his expression.

"Thomas asked me if I would put it up. He's running for re-election, you know," she answered his unspoken question.

"But he's the _only _one running. Why does he need posters?" Gray's brow furrowed in confusion as the librarian giggled again.

"He says he wants to _appeal to the townspeople's sense of political aesthetics and inspire a sense of civil transformation_."

"Does he even know what that means?"


End file.
